The Miami Heat have Giannis Antetokounmpo. That’s set in stone. They made their big-swing move for the summer and have spent the rest of the offseason filling in pieces around him. Bam Adebayo was already in place. The Heat brought in Klay Thompson. Tim Hardaway Jr., too. They’re gearing up for a playoff push. But the most important piece of the puzzle won’t even be on the court next year.
During his time with the Milwaukee Bucks, Antetokounmpo played under some solid head coaches. Mike Budenholzer was the cream of the crop. He was the best head coach Antetokounmpo had. That was until he was traded to the Heat. Erik Spoelstra has become the king of making something out of nothing, and now, he’s got something again. A true star.
With Antetokounmpo in town, Spoelstra has more talent to work with than he’s had in years, arguably since the days LeBron James was in Miami, and at least since Jimmy Butler was around. That’s going to make all the difference.
Erik Spoelstra may be Giannis Antetokounmpo's best new teammate
Miami may not have the most talented roster in the NBA. Not even the most talented roster in the Eastern Conference. There’s going to be a ton of competition in the conference this season.
Antetokounmpo and Adebayo are a great starting point. Two All-Stars. Two All-NBA players. Two of the best defenders in the league. And they’ve got an elite coach backing them up.
Take a look at some of the teams Spoelstra helped make the Finals during the Butler years. Butler, Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and a bunch of role players. That’s not meant to be disrespectful – it’s praise.
Caleb Martin, Gabe Vincent, and Duncan Robinson were some of the most important pieces on a team that made a run to the NBA Finals. Just look at the teams that have made it in the last few years.
Dylan Harper was coming off the bench for the San Antonio Spurs. Mikal Bridges was the New York Knicks’ fourth-best option. The Oklahoma City Thunder had Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso on the bench.
The fact that Spoelstra led those teams to the Finals shows just how elite he is, and now that he has a talent of Antetokounmpo’s caliber again, the sky is the limit for the way he can lead the Heat.
For Antetokounmpo, that’s a gift. The gift of having one of the greatest coaches in the history of the sport. The gift of having a guy capable of dominating the postseason no matter who’s on his roster.
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